He changed Tiwat

No wonder the "Skirmisher" joined the Fools; he indeed shared a similar desire with the "God of Destruction," the Ice Queen.

"So... how do you plan to ascend to godhood?" Han Fulai asked.

Without hesitation, the "scattered soldier" answered him with sixteen words: "All conditioned things are impermanent, all defilements are suffering, all phenomena are without self, Nirvana is peace."

"..."

Han Fulai was at a loss for words.

His silence wasn't because he didn't understand... quite the opposite, he did understand, because those words came from Earth.

These words from "scattered soldiers" represent "Shi" (释), one of the three major religions on Earth: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

"All conditioned things are impermanent," "All defilements are suffering," "All phenomena are without self," and "Nirvana is peace"—these four terms are the "Four Seals of Dharma" in Buddhism.

"Dharma Seal" means seal or seal, representing the Dharma. These "Four Dharma Seals" represent the true essence of Buddhism, hence they are also called the "Four Noble Truths." Truly understanding these "Four Dharma Seals" means mastering Buddhism.

Han Fulai has always been rather "Buddhist" in his pursuit of material things. He has tried eating instant noodles for a month, lived in cramped rental rooms, and never complained about commuting in crowded buses and subways every day. In terms of "enduring hardship", he is quite the ascetic.

But this wasn't because he believed in Buddhism, but because he was forced to be "Buddhist" by societal pressures—after all, he was a failure, and failures don't have the right to pursue material things, so they can only be Buddhists.

Even after transmigrating, he could still "live frugally" and work overtime with his superiors at Yuehai Pavilion and construction sites. But when he could improve his life, he didn't mind taking advantage of Ningguang's soft meals and soft bed... At least he didn't skimp on himself in terms of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.

Well, to be honest, before he transmigrated, he was just an ordinary office worker, and his level of understanding wasn't high enough to be enlightened about Buddhism. His knowledge of the "Four Seals of Dharma" was limited to a literal understanding based on common sense.

"All things are impermanent" means that everything in the world is in flux and nothing is permanent—just like how sometimes you get two gold cards in ten gacha pulls, and sometimes you get a guaranteed reward after 170 pulls.

"All defilements are suffering" means that all the accumulations of sentient beings, such as wealth, status, fame, etc., are flawed and are like "drawing water with a bamboo basket," with nothing truly remaining—just as even if one possesses a life-giving rain and two arrows to kill a Dvalin, one can only helplessly cry out in the face of the formless ice in the abyss.

"All phenomena are without self" means that even human self-awareness is illusory, merely a reflection of physiology and psychology—just like how, no matter how rampant he is in Teyvat in the game, how much he punches and kicks Dvalin and Ocel, he is still the overworked corporate slave in reality.

"Nirvana and tranquility" means "enlightenment" after confirming that everything is illusory, and cutting off all afflictions—by deleting the game, there will be no more anxiety about intensity or the troubles of community PvP.

When you get your pity system wiped out by Qiqi during a gacha pull, reciting a few Buddhist verses can offer some consolation... but "scattered soldiers" clearly doesn't mean that.

"The stragglers" seemed to be saying very seriously that he was preparing to "become a Buddha and an ancestor".

Han Fulai looked at the "scattered soldiers," his stomach full of complaints he didn't know how to express—so you didn't join the Assassin Brotherhood, but converted to Buddhism? Who is the Buddha of Teyvat? The Sumeru Grass God? Are you going to betray the Winter Queen and throw yourself into the arms of the Sumeru Grass God?

As if sensing Han Fulai's question, "Sanbing" once again revealed that strange smile: "Aren't you curious about how I stripped you of your five senses and your consciousness during the previous battle?"

Han Fulai nodded.

He was indeed curious, but even if he asked "Sanbing" about it, "Sanbing" probably wouldn't tell him.

But now, it seems the "scattered soldiers" want to share this secret.

"This is a method left behind by Ahmar, the 'Red King' who once ruled the Sumeru Desert. It is called 'No-Self of All Phenomena,' a method that allows the soul to leave the body and the spirit to transcend reincarnation!"

"Scattered soldiers" pointed to the sky again.

"He was once a god on Sky Island, but for some reason fell to the earth. Ahmar, who longed to return to Sky Island, built the 'City of the Amphitheater' in the desert—Ay-Khanoum—based on the amphitheater of Sky Island."

"He then used the supernatural power of 'no-self' to create thousands of 'Spirit Guardians' and build an eternal paradise for them. 'Spirit Guardians' are eternal souls. Ai-Han-Noum is also known as the 'City of Spirit Guardians'."

Han Fulai had never heard of the name Ahmar before, nor of the title "Red King of the Desert."

But this wasn't the first time he'd heard the term "suppressing spirits."

Previously, when they were in the Abyss of Layered Rocks, the Sumeru scholar Hydif had recommended to him an "academic material" related to the study of ley lines—a "light novel" written by the famous scholar Pursina, "The Chronicles of Hamavaran".

The book not only mentions "suppressing spirits," but also touches on forbidden research, specifically the "Six Root Sins" of the Church Council.

According to Haidif, Pulshina's research has violated "the second of the six fundamental sins: talking about life and death."

"The cycle of life and death"—if that's what Pulshina was researching, then it is indeed a taboo on Sky Island. No wonder it uses the guise of a "light novel" to cover up the truth hidden within, just like "The White Princess and the Six Dwarfs".

The special life form known as "Zhenling" is said to be able to break free from the shackles of the physical body and exist in the "magic bottle" in the form of a spirit, just like the "genie in the lamp" in fairy tales.

In retrospect, "Zhenling" should be considered a soul that "transcends life and death and does not enter the cycle of reincarnation".

Speaking of which... the cultivation practices of the Liyue Asgardians are actually pursuing the same thing. So, are the "Spirit Guardians" of Ahma'er's Familia also engaged in similar research?

Liyue cultivators who reach the "Deity Transformation" stage can have their souls leave their bodies and dream travel to various realms. By this analogy, "Zhenling" can actually be considered a "Deity Transformation" level immortal.

However, the study of the cycle of life and death is not tolerated on Sky Island.

Therefore, Gui Zhong "died in battle," and the "Heaven and Earth Cage Test" of the Rock King Emperor had to come to an end...

Ahmar, a demon god with thousands of "spirit guardians" at the "divine transformation" level, whose cultivation is based on the "Four Seals" and who is determined to break the cycle of reincarnation... If there is a "Buddha" in Teyvat, this Buddha is obviously not the Sumeru Grass God, but the "Red King" Ahmar.

The reason the "scattered soldiers" are bringing this up now is because—

“I received Ahmar’s supernatural powers and inherited his unfinished work—to save all sentient beings and transcend reincarnation.”

Han Fulai looked at the serious-looking "scattered soldiers" and felt inexplicably amused.

Do you really want to be "Buddha"?

Unfortunately, the current "Seven Rulers of the Mortal World" in Sumeru are the Grass Gods, not the "Red King." This means that Ahmar's research, like Guiji's, ultimately failed due to the will of Sky Island.

The "Ancestor of All Immortals" could not enable all of Liyue to cultivate immortality, nor could the "Sand King Buddha" save all living beings.

The reincarnation system is a "fundamental national policy" of Sky Island, which must be upheld for thousands or tens of thousands of years without wavering. It's not something that a lowly civil servant under you can simply transcend.

"You mean... uh, to establish a new religion and declare yourself a new god?" he asked tentatively.

Establishing a religion to collect "willpower" and accumulate divinity is indeed a method of ascending to godhood. Although Han Fulai did not establish a religion, he was also collecting "willpower." In this respect, Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru are probably all doing the same thing.

The problem is that the "stragglers" aren't even "prospective civil servants of Sky Island" yet; they haven't even taken the civil service exam! They don't even have the qualifications to collect "willpower," so how can they establish themselves as new gods?

My so-called "Successor of the Rock God" and "Emperor of the Salt King" are at least certified by the Sky Island system, even if they're using Heuria's name... Who would recognize this "Buddha" who popped up out of nowhere? At best, he'll just get "wiped out by the local police station"...

Upon hearing his question, the "scattered soldier" burst into laughter.

"Religion? No, it's not such a superficial thing."

"The Anemo Archon of Mondstadt has the 'Church of Favonius.' Can faith in him transcend the cycle of reincarnation? No!"

"The Geo Archon of Liyue is known as the 'Ancestor of All Celestials.' Can worshipping him help one transcend reincarnation? No!"

"Inazuma's Thunder General, who calls herself the 'Eternal God,' can one gain 'eternity' by believing in her? No! Ha, she dares to call herself the 'Eternal God'?"

"None of them are perfect gods, and none of them have a true path to transcendence."

"The path to 'eternity' is in my hands! I am the 'Transcendent One' who can liberate all beings from the cycle of reincarnation! I am the God who can lead this world to liberation! I will save everyone!"

Han Fulai took a slight step back.

This is not simply "chuunibyou" (adolescent delusions of grandeur), nor is it a manifestation of "faith." The "scattered soldiers" seem to genuinely believe every word they say.

"Madmen" are not scary. People who lose their minds are just acting unconsciously, and what they are showing is nothing more than animalistic instincts.

But a "madman" who knows what he is doing, and even makes plans to achieve his goals, is willing to endure pain and implement them step by step, is terrifying.

Such "madmen" have previously instigated wars capable of destroying the world.

Han Fulai asked slowly, word by word, "So, how do you intend to save everyone?"

The next moment, the "scattered soldier" gave the answer.

The answer is just one word.

"kill."

Chapter 142 Child, reading pirated books is a bad idea! [4k]

"I now vow to shatter the false heavens, extinguish the cycle of birth and death, and bring about the fundamental liberation of all sentient beings. I will kill all those who linger in this world."

The "scattered soldiers'" voice was calm, as if they were speaking of a self-evident truth.

At this moment, Han Fulai also confirmed the purpose of the "scattered soldiers" wanting to "cooperate" with him: "Your so-called 'saving all living beings and transcending reincarnation' is just killing people? You want me to help you slaughter the people of Inazuma?"

He felt he should be angry, but faced with this utterly absurd "request for cooperation," he couldn't even muster the anger.

They were talking about "saving the world"... such a noble and great topic, how did it turn into this?

This is like two people debating whether to use liquid or solid fuel for rocket boosters. Experts will discuss the merits of methane, liquid oxygen, and sodium borohydride, but laymen will say that firewood won't do and that coal needs to be washed with water...

Seriously, if you take an argument with a "madman" too seriously, you'll lose.

But this "madman" still nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "Yes, to destroy Inazuma, relying on the Evil Eye, the 'Soul God,' and war is too slow. I heard that you now control a Liyue warship and possess a weapon of mass destruction called the 'Returner.' With the help of the 'Returner,' the efficiency can be greatly improved."

Han Fulai tried very hard to control his expression—this kid is serving food at this hour? Did I promise to help you? Do you know that the "Return to the End Machine" was originally meant to be used to clean the floor of your Evil Eye Factory?

Actually, he already had this feeling when he talked about "all things are illusory" before "the scattered soldiers".

"Skirmisher" seems to see himself as a "transcendent," that is, a "player," and a "Preex player" at that... In "Skirmisher's" eyes, the humans of Teyvat are probably all NPCs, all insects, all data...

Therefore, he could easily utter the word "kill".

Therefore, he naturally assumed that once Han Fulai learned the truth, he would side with the "players" rather than the "NPCs".

Although breathing is not required in the consciousness space, Han Fulai still took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to beat up the brat.

He still had some questions left to ask.

"Let's put that aside for now... I want to ask, why do you say you're going to save people, but actually intend to kill them?"

"How can you save people without killing them?" the "scattered soldier" asked strangely. "In the basic concept of alchemy, the human body is composed of four basic elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. The flesh and bones of the earth, the blood and sweat of the water, the warmth of the fire, and the breath of the wind constitute the temporary body of the human. My puppet body is also forged from earth, water, fire, and wind, only the materials chosen by the demon god are purer than those of ordinary people."

"Taking people as an example, what we see is called 'form dust'; what we hear is called 'sound dust'; what we smell is called 'fragrance dust'; what we taste is called 'taste dust'; what we touch is called 'touch dust'... What people perceive about others is nothing more than an illusion formed by the combination of the five dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch."

“Just like me…” he pointed to his black clothes and hat, “When you first saw me here, there was a moment of surprise in your eyes, obviously surprised by my change. I only changed my clothes and you were surprised, but if I changed my appearance and voice, you wouldn’t recognize me.”

"People are the same. Any change in any of the five senses will make people feel that 'this person has changed'."

"Therefore, everything we see is illusory; this is what is meant by 'false composite'."

"Since all people are merely a composite of bodies, then the physical form is nothing but a cage, a false constraint, and only the soul within that cage is 'real.' How can the inner soul be liberated without removing the outer shell?"

Han Fulai raised an eyebrow: "Is this also a method passed down by that 'Red King' Ahmar?"

The "scattered soldier" nodded, as if he were about to preach. He even patiently explained the "doctrine" to Han Fu: "The scholars of the Yinlun School of the Order of Teachings have unearthed an ancient scroll from the ruins of the Sand Sea, which is called the 'Floating Pan Song Scroll'."

"When the war between the demon gods of Sumeru ended, three demon gods remained. These three demon gods did not compete for the final victory, but instead formed an alliance and shared the power of the 'Seven Rulers of the Mortal World' bestowed by Sky Island."

"The 'Floating Song Scroll' records the covenant between these three demon gods—the Crimson King, the Tree King, and the Flower Goddess—that the feast belongs to the Flower Goddess, authority belongs to the Crimson King, and life belongs to the Tree King. Like a silver moon, a golden sun, and an emerald oasis, the three god-kings made a vow and formed an alliance of close friends."

"The three god-kings established a peaceful and joyful paradise in Mount Sumeru, free from calamities and worries, named 'Wali-Veja'. They held a feast in the paradise and discussed the true meaning of wisdom."

There is a story in the book—

"The goddess of flowers told the two kings a parable: In the oasis lived a wise man who possessed supreme wisdom and selflessly spread it to the world. He took in many disciples, taught them knowledge, and together they helped the people. Those who had received the benefit of his knowledge voluntarily gave their wealth to support him and his disciples."

“But the life of a wise man has an end, and one day he will pass away. His disciples will think, ‘When the wise man was alive, we received many generous offerings, but now that he is dead, people will probably stop making offerings. What should we do?’”

"So they laid pillows and blankets on the bed where the wise man had slept, so that it would look as if a person were lying there. If anyone came to the wise man for advice, the disciples would not lie, but they would not tell him the truth either; they would simply say, 'Look at the blankets and pillows.'"

"When the visitor saw that it was the sage resting in his room, he thought it was inappropriate to disturb him, so he took his leave and continued to support the sage and his disciples. Days passed in this way, and no outsider noticed anything unusual. Although the sage was dead, it was as if he were still alive."

Then the Flower Goddess asked the Tree King, "If you were the Tree King, how would you expose this illusion?"

The tree king replied: "When I see a wise man, I do not ask about his bed or pillow."

"All forms are illusory; if one sees all forms as non-forms, then one sees the Tathagata."

"The wise men in the eyes of the world are, in life, only their bodies and hair, and in death, only their quilts and pillows. All of these are appearances of external causes and conditions. To see the truth, one must let all things be as they are originally."

The Flower Goddess then asked the Crimson King, "If you were the Crimson King, how would you expose this illusion?"

The Red King replied: "Slay it with your sword! If it is a false body, what harm is there in slaying it? Slaying it will reveal the true nature!"

Han Fulai shook his head and said, "You misunderstood. The 'Red King' wasn't talking about 'wielding a sword,' but about 'wielding the sword of wisdom.' Using wisdom as a sword to cut through troubles is a metaphor, not an actual instruction to go and chop people down."

The "scattered soldier" was slightly surprised: "You've also read 'The Song of Floating Life'?"

Han Fulai neither affirmed nor denied it.

Han Fulai didn't know what the three demons of Sumeru were discussing, the "Teyvat Dharma," but he was familiar with the story behind the term.

The phrase "severing emotional ties with the sword of wisdom" has been overused by modern people. Buddha would only advise you to let go of your attachments, not ask you to kill your wife to prove your enlightenment.

The "scattered soldier," seeing how logically he spoke, was beginning to believe that Han Fulai had indeed come into contact with Ahmar's lineage. After all, Han Fulai was someone who had awakened the "Manas consciousness," and his ability to enter this space was proof enough.

In reality, Han Fulai's "Manas consciousness" originated from the Salt Alas Spear—if he hadn't awakened his "ego" and realized "I think, therefore I am," he would have been swallowed by the Salt Alas Spear long ago. This was purely a self-preservation instinct and had absolutely nothing to do with any Buddhist practice...

The "scattered soldier" added, "But the Red King also said: 'Life and death are intertwined, how dare you defy fate!' He continued, 'I will not rest until my lips are frozen!'"

You're wrong again.

Han Fulai shook his head again; he had indeed heard those words before.

The original sentence is: "Life and death are shackled, yet we dare not succumb to the calamity of the wall! We are bound by ...

It seems that Sumeru, like Mondstadt and Liyue, also has a significant amount of cultural heritage from Earth. The sentences appearing in the "Floating Song Scroll" are all quite well-known Buddhist sayings.

The era of the Three Gods of Mount Sumeru is at least a thousand years ago. The ancient texts unearthed by the Yinlun school are likely translations based on guesswork, so errors are to be expected. The "scattered soldier" probably tried to learn Mount Sumeru Buddhism on his own from a copy of the *Floating Dwelling Song*, but ended up learning it incorrectly…